Farm gate



'May l 1928. 1,668,344

' P. N. SWANSON FARM GATE/ Filed June 24. 1927 -"a: im.

Patented May 1, 1928.

Y TETZER '1N'. SWANSON, OF KEWANEE, ILLINOIS.

'FAR-'M GATE.

Application filed June 24.',

This invention .is a vnovel improvement in farm-gates, ,and v.the ,principal yoliiieetthere of is -to provide a. simple .novel and eilieient farm gate .adapted to be mounted .on fa. vertical pivot, the outer end of the gate 'be-l ing adjustable in a vertical plane to permit snriall.l live-steek lto pass .thereunder from one side of the `gate 4to the other while re straining large liv-estoelr 'from passing the gate; .novel y.means being provided vfor oompensattng for .the `.otherw-ise toreshorteningr ofythergate whenadjusted vertically so that the overall length of the gate remains substanti ally-constant `lwithin lthe .usualVV working limits :of ventieal adjustment. l

The gelte can also vbe .adfusted vertically to eonormwith the 'layv ot the land, .whether sloping np .hillor .downhillzfor'can be ad- ]'ns-ted to .eompensate for sagging ot =the outer .endfolf the gate.

-fQt'her kminor .objeets set .orth.

I will explain the `invention Kwith reiterenee to .the .accompanying .drawing which illustrates one p'aetioa-l embodiment thereof to .enable others .to adopt and use `the same.; and willsunimarize `in the claims ythe novel zfeatures `of construction, .and lnovel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

ln saiddrawingsc# p .Fig. 1 is .a .side .elevation oi the gate showing same 1in normal position. y

Fig. Q `is `a similar hview showing' rthe `ate in vertically Vadjusted position. l

Fig. 3 isn seetionon .the line .3-Z2\, Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is aseetion ont-he line (lee, Fig. i.

As shown in Vthe drawing, my novel 4gate preferably `comprises a plurality, ot spaced horizontal bars l, fivev such bars being shown, all ofthe bars lbeing of same length and .pivotallyoonneoted at their outer ends byloolts 1to1' the like to a pair of `outer cross bars @and also pivotally connected as at ll toapair of center cross-bans 3 whereby the normally rectangular frame comprising ars Lvandbross bars 2 .and 3 may be readily distorted tbut `the bars l and cross `bars 2 and B :Will l.respeeti.vely remain parallel at all times.

At the ,inner end of each bar l is an elongated slot l adapted to receive abolt or pin ld passing through a .pair of inner- Cross members 4 whereby the bars .l may have a cert-ain vamount of movement towards or will be hereinafter 1927. Serial No. 201,082.

away 'from the cross-members el for zthepurpose hereinafter set forth.

Theleross .members e exten-d abovev .fthe

upper gatebar l, and are hingedlyfoonneoted at its upper .and klower lends to afhinge-post A, preferably by means `oli hingestraps 4* onfmembers 4. engaging the ,pin-tles 4b which are set into hinge post yAin .any desired manner. y Y

, ,For the purpose lof compensati-ng for the otherwise foreshortening olithe gate `when the outer end thereolrfis adjusted vertically.; as 4shownin Fig. 2,-.and to maintain substantially ,the same koverall length for thegate, I 'provid-eftwo pairs of. angularly disposed. straps 5 whieharepivotally attached 'to the upper and lower bars l of the gate adjacent their inner ends, said )straps :.5 being of same length and; pivoted to the bars l vthe same distance from cross members 4, and sloping- `upwardly and linwardly at the same angle to meet the erossfl'nembefrs.land being pivotally connected thereto. The lower pair of straps `5 may Conveniently have their inner or upper ends pivotedon the boltor pin l for the next to lowest'bar 1, while the upper :pair of` straps 5 .are `pivoted lattheir inner upper ends to a bolt lpassing through cross-members 4l. .By reason of the inclination of straps 5, whenthe louter end of `the gate is raised into position shown in .F ig. `2 to permitsmall live-stock to pass under the gate the otherwise foreshortening of the gate is `compensated for by the action of `the pairs of straps 5 which push all lthe bars l outwardly 'from cross-members 4;, permitted by the slotted connection of bars l to `the cross-members 4T: Also ywhen vthe gate is again lowered into position shown in Fig. 1 the pairs of straps will redraw the bars l a corresponding.distance towardsthe crossmembers 4, and hence a substantially oonstant clearance ,is always ymaintained ibektween the lateh post B and the outer cross bars 2.

Themeans for holdinglthe gatein `adjusted yposit-ion comprises a U-shaped strap iron 6 adapted to lit underone of the bars l between cross bars 2 an d 3 to Vlorm anlamp. The outerends of clamp 6 extend yabove the bar l and are provided with two pairs `of opposed openings disposed one above the yother and adaptedv toreeeive elampingbolts 6? and 6". Connected "to the upper bolt 6"y is a pairof strapsy 7 extending upwardly and inwardly and pivoted on one of the bolts passing through the upper hinge strap 4*. The lower ends of straps 7 are bowed outwardly, as at 7a in Fig. 3, so that when bolt 6b is tightened the upper ends of clamp 6 will be squeezed together to pinch the clamp around the bar l to prevent slipjiing of the clamp on the bar. Preferably metallic strips 8 are secured to the upper and lower edges of the bar l in way of clamp 6 to prevent the clamp from actually cutting into the bar.

The use of adjustable clamp 6 obviates the necessity of the usual notches or bolt holes in bar l for anchoring the lower ends of straps 7 and permits a finer vertical adjustment of the gate when compensating for sagging of the outer end of the gate.

Latch post B is provided with a backing strip B secured adjacent to its edge against which the gate may slam in closing and a latch is provided on the gate for locking same to the strip B. As shown the lock comprises a. strip 9 having `a perforation therein for a pivot bolt Q. the outer 4end of the strip projecting beyond the 't'ront edge of cross bar 2 and being bent to fit around the adjacent faces of strip B. Any other type of latch however may be used. which will similarly engage the strip B for any vertical adjustment of the gate. I do not limit my invent-ion to the exact form shown in the drawing for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

1. A farm gate comprising bars and cross bars connected together on horizontal pivots; a cross member at the inner ends of the bars adapted to be pivoted to a hinge post; and means connecting the bars with the cross member whereby as the outer end o'f the bars are raised they will be shifted outwardly to compensate for the otherwise -toreshortening oi the gate.

Q In a gate as set forth in claim l. the bars having a sliding connection with the cross member; and said means comprising diagonally disposed straps pivotally connecting the bars and member.

3. A farm gate comprising bars and cross bars connected together on vhorizontal pivots; a cross member having a sliding conneetion with the inner ends of the bars and adapted to be pivoted to a hinge post; and diagonally disposed straps pivotally connecting the bars with the cross member whereby as the outer end ot the gate is raised the bars will be shifted outwardly to compensate for the otherwise toreshortening of the gate.

4. A farm gate comprising a plurality of parallel bars; cross bars pivotally connected to the parallel bars; a cross member at the inner ends of the parallel bars adapted to be pivoted to a hinge post; said parallel bars having elongated slots therein at their inner ends; pins on the cross member engaging the slots; and means connecting the parallel bars with the cross member whereby as the outer end of the gate is raised the parallel bars will be shifted outwardly to compensate for the otherwise foreshortening of' the gate. e

5. A farm gate comprising a plurality of parallel bars; cross bars pivotally connected to the parallel bars; a cross member at the inner ends of the parallel bars adapted to be pivoted to a hinge post; said parallel bars having elongated slots therein at their inner ends; pins on the cross member engaging the slots; and diagonally disposed straps pivotally connecting the parallel bars adjacent their inner ends with the cross member whereby as the outer end of the gate is raised the parallel bars will be 'shifted outwardly to compensate for the otherwise foreshortening ofthe gate. Y

6. A farm gate comprising a plurality of bars: cross bars pivotally connected to the parallel bars; a cross member at the inner ends of the bars adapted to be pivoted to a hinge post; a pair of straps on the upper end ot' the cross member and at opposite'sides oit the gate; a U-shaped member adapted to fit under saidibar and extending above the bar; a pair of bolts transiixing the upper end of the U-shaped member above the bar; the lower ends of the straps being connected to one of the said bolts; and the lower ends of the strapsbeing bent outwardly to pinch the upper ends of the U-shaped member together around the bar when the bolt is tightened.

7. In combination with a gate as set forth in cla-im l, a clamp slidably engaging one of said bars and having opposed legs extending above the bar; a bolt transfixing the outer ends of said legs; and a pair of straps connecting the bolt and the upper end of the cross member at opposite sides of the gate, the ends of the straps adjacent the bolt being bent outwardly tov pinch the legs against the bar when the bolt is tightened.

8. In combination with a gate as set forth in claim 3, a U-shaped clamp slidably engaging one of said bars. the legs of said clamp extending above the bar, a bolt transfixing the outer ends of said legs; and a pair of straps at opposite sides of the gate connecting the bolt with the upper end of the cross member, the ends of the straps adjacent the bolt being bent outwardly to pinch the legs against the bar when the bolt is tightened.

9. In combination with a gate as set forth in claim 4, a resilient U-shaped clamp slidably engaging one of said bars, the legs of said clamp extending above the bar, a bolt transfixing the outer ends of said legs; and a pair of straps at opposite sides of the gate connecting the bolt with the upper end of the cross member, the ends of the straps adjacent the bolt being bent outwardly to pinch the legs against the bar when the bolt is tightened.

l0. In combination with a gate as set forth in claim 5, a resilient Ueshaped clamp slidably engaging one of said bars, thelegs of said clamp extending above the bar, a bolt transfixing the router, ends of said legs; and a pair of straps connecting the bolt with the upper end of the cross member, the ends of the straps adjacent the bolt being bent outwardly to pinch the legs against the bar when the bolt is tightened.

l1. A 'farm gate comprising a plurality of parallel bars; cross bars pivotally connected to the parallel bars; a cross member atthe inner ends of the bars adapted to be pivoted to a hinge post; a U-shaped clamp slidably engaging one of said bars the legs of said clamp extending above the bar; a bolt transfixing the outer ends of said legs; and a pair of straps connecting the bolt with the upper end of the cross member, the ends of the straps adjacent the bolt being bent outwardly to pinch the legs against the bar when the bolt is tightened.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I aliix my signature.

PETER N. SWANSON. 

